Bar installing device



July 13, 1937. J. w. HEL'rzI-:L

BAR INSTALLING DEVICE Filed Feb. is, 1935 2 sheets-sheet@ July 13, 1937. J. w. HELTZEL 2,087,191

BR INSTALLING lDEVICE Filed Feb. 1e, 1935 2 sheets-shag*b 2 I zz FI I3. L.

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Patented July 13, 1937 UNITE srr @FME 3 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to building apparatus for concrete structures, such as roads and the like.

At the present time bars or rods are specified by state highway departments to be used in concrete roads. These bars. are usually placed at about half the depth of the slab and are sometimes used as tie bars and sometimes as dowel bars.

: The usual practice has b-een to install these rods by hand-thus, they are often installed improperly with regard to depth and proper placement and often at improper intervals, To overcome these objections, it has been the practice -I to wire the bars together but this is expensive and unsatisfactory as wiring them together does not hold them any too well.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for use in correctly positioning and holding 201 dowel, tie and other bars and the like during the pouring or placing of the concrete mass, and

rduring the partial setting thereof; the device being removable from the concrete structure and the bars after the latter have been assured of correct positioning in the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device to which properly crossed and otherwise relatively positioned bars may be attached at a point remote from the concrete structure, and

A wherein the device with the bars thereon may be transported and correctly placed on the subgrade, or other lower portion of the structure, and the remaining or upper portion of the structure may then be poured or otherwise placed about the bars and the device to properly dispose the bars in the iinished structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character with bar gripping and holding means which may be operated from the upper part of the device for holding the bars during movement of the device and during filling in oi the upper part of the concrete structure, and which may be subsequently operated from the upper part of the device for releasing the bars a5y and leaving them in the concrete structure as the device is removed for subsequent use.

With my invention the roads are held rigidly and square or parallel to one another as the case may be, and also are installed at the proper 50 depth. The rods may be placed in the device along side the road-then carried and set in position in the roadway or structure. By this method the rods are not assembled under the mixer 55 boom, and the short intervals of delay are eliminated. My invention eliminates the necessity of the use of stakes for holding the rods in position and thus a large item of expense is saved.

With the foregoing and'other objects in View,

60 the 'invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims'appended hereto.

in the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. 5

Figure l is a perspective view of a bar installing device constructed according to the present invention showing the bars in position on the 1 device.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of one 10 end thereof showing the bars in position on the device.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the end of the device with the bars 15 therein., the section being taken toward one side of the latch or operating bar.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the device with the bars therein,V the broken line showing the concrete road or other structure filled in about the 20 device and the bars carried thereby.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the device detached from the bars and partly removed from the concrete structure.

Figure 7 is afragmentary longitudinal sectional 25 view taken through the device with the bars therein, and showing a slight modification in the mounting of the supporting legs of the device, and

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of a slight modification of the rod seat or holder which may 30 be used on the frame of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, the device is provided with a longitudinal frame upon which is adapted to be mounted a desired number of cross rods and longitudinal rods. The frame has'a 35 pair of spaced apart longitudinal or side members 2B which are held in substantially parallel relation throughout their lengths by cross pieces 2| and these cross pieces together with the side strips 28 are of relatively thin material and are 40 of suicient depth to give stability to the frame. The side strips 2E) are preferably set with their width in vertical planes so as to present their edges downwardly for the purpose of occupying but small space in the iilled in concrete structure so that the frame may be readily lifted out of the structure. The cross pieces 2l are arched 1 upwardly intermediate their ends and are also preferably relatively thin, may be of sheet material, and at opposite ends are provided with supporting legs 22 which comprise downward projections at the ends of the cross pieces which eX- tend below the side strips 2D. The legs 22 may be reinforced by turning the ends of the cross pieces at right angles to the body portions thereof, as shown to advantage in Figures l and 3, and the flanged ends of the cross pieces are bolted, welded or otherwise suitably secured to the side l strips 20 against the inner faces thereof.

The flanging or bending of the ends of the cross GQ pieces provide legs 22 which have surfacing engaging portions which extend at substantially right angles to each other soas to rmly support the frame on the subgrade or lower portion of the concrete structure. The flat transverse faces of the legs 22, below the side strips 2E) provide the Walls of recesses or seats for transverse rods 23, and the recesses or seats are formed at their opposite sides by shouldered plates 2Q which are secured against the inner opposite faces of the side strips 26 and abut the end portions of the cross pieces 2| to limit the upward movement of the rods 23 in the seats or slots. The cross rods 23 are adapted to be held up in the grooves or seats of the frame by longitudinal rods 25 which are disposed across the lower sides of the cross rods 23, as shown in Figure l, and the upward movement of the longitudinal rods 25 support and raise the cross rods 23 into Atheir seats or grooves.

For the purpose of releasably holding the longitudinal rods 25 in raised position, each cross piece 2| is provided with a pair of rod engaging levers 26 which are of substantially angular construction and mounted near their upper inner ends upon'pivots 2'! carried by the cross piece 2| Y in spaced apart relation to each other. The free upper ends of the levers 25 are reduced and overlapped at their inner opposite edge portions to provide overlapping fingers 28 which are adapted to slide one upon the other and to swing downwardly between thev pivots 2l for the purpose of swinging the lower ends ,of the levers26 outwardly and upwardly beneath the side strips 20 and against the lower sides of the longitudinal rods 25. The levers 26 are preferably relatively at and adapted to slidably engage against their respective cross pieces 2|. 'I'he lower ends of the levers 26 are providedrwith shoulders or projections 29 at their lower free ends which extend outwardly and upwardly to a slight extent for engagement about the under sides of the rods 25. The amplitude of movement of the levers 26 is such that the projections 29 are permitted to swing downwardly and inwardly out of vertical line with the longitudinal rods 25to release the same, as shown in Figure 6. V

' Each cross piece 2| is provided with a pair of levers 2S. In order to simultaneously and equally operate all of the levers 26 on the frame, a latch or operating bar 3l! is employed, and the bar is slidably mounted in the upper or top portions of the cross pieces 2l and is spaced above the overlapping fingers 28 ofthe levers. The latch bar 35 Yis provided at each cross piece 2| with a downwardly extending wedge or cam 3| which is welded or otherwise suitably mounted upon the latch bar 36 and which is movable in a correspondingly formed slot provided in each cross piece 2| beneath the bearing opening of the latch bar 30. The cams 3| are so proportioned as to length and inclination of cam or contacting surface as to wipe or engage across the upper edge of the upper nger 28 of each pair of levers 26, and the cams Aor wedges 3| are all directed in vone direction so that when the latch bar 30 is shifted lengthwise ofthe frame all of the wedges 3| move in one direction and either simultaneously operate or release the overlapping iingers 28 throughout the frame. Y

1 When desirable every other cross piece, together with the latches, may be omitted-especially if the bars are spaced close together; this is reasonable because in many cases the bars are one foot apart and,lthe refore, if every other bar is omitted,

there would be a bearing of the wedgesl3| every two feet.

In constructions Where the cross rods 23 are to be placed in closely spaced apart relation, and in order not to unduly increase the weight of the frame of the holder, it may be desirable to mount upon the side strips or bars 20 intermediate rod seats or holders, such as shown in Figure 8, In this case the side strips or bars 20 are provided at suitable points between the cross pieces 2| with depending plates 38 in the form of legs which may be secured by bolts 39 or the like to the side strips 2Q and which extend upwardly a, suitable distance to receive the cross rods 23 therethrough and the longitudinal rods 25 thereagainst. The plates 38 are slotted or recessed at their lower ends to provide seats 4U for receiving the cross rods 23 therein and the cross rods are held upwardly in the seats 4|! by the longitudinal rods 25 when the latter are held to the frame by the shoulders or projections 29 of the lock levers. These plates 38 are used in pairs and are disposed in registry upon the opposite side strips 2|) so as to supplement the rectangular seats or holders at opposite ends of the cross pieces 2 I.

The latch bar 30 is provided with a shoulder or stop ring 32 arranged at any suitable point adapted to engage an adjacent cross piece 2| to hold the latch bar from moving in a releasing direction beyond a predetermined extent so that the latch bar in operation cannot be readily detached from the frame of the device. 'Ihe latch bar 3G is provided at a suitab-le point with an upstanding lug or abutment 33 adapted to be engaged by a shovel, bucket or the like such as is used in pouring or lling in the concrete about the device and so that the levers 25 may be quickly and easily latched and released by merely shifting the lug 33 rst in one direction, and then in the other.

With reference to Figure '7, the supporting legs 22 may be constructed independently o-f the cross pieces 2| and are shown as of angle iron construction seated in the angle at the end of the cross piece 2| and vertically movable thereagainst. The legs 22' are provided with vertical slots 34 through which project clamping bolts 35 carried upon the frame of the device for holding the legs 2| at the desired adjusted position on the frame. The adjustable legs 2| may be, of course, constructed in various ways for accomplishing the desired result of disposing the rods 23 and 25 at the desired height in the concrete structure.

In operation.`the bar installing device is disposed at one side of the roadbeing built and the transverse and longitudinal bars 23 and 25 are assembled in crossed relation in the same relation which is desired in the completed concrete structure. There is a cross piece 2| for each transverse rod 23 to be used, and a pair o'f longitudinal rods 25 isY assembled with these cross rods 23 with one rod 25 at each side of the frame, and against the outer faces of the legs 22. After the transverse rods 23 have been disposed in the grooves or seats at the ends of the cross pieces, the longitudinal rods 25 are then disposed across the bottoms of the ro'ds 23 'and are raised sufliciently for the 'shoulders or projections 29 of the gripping levers 26 to lengage beneath the rods 25. The latch lbar 3U is -now shifted toward a locking position whereupon the several cams -or wedges y3| are moved acrossthe upper edges of the fingers 28 with the result that the lingers are depressed or swung downwardly so that the levers 26 are swung outwardly and upwardly at their lower ends so as to engage about and beneath the bottoms of the longitudinal rods 25. This operation raises the rods 25 against the rods 23, and then moves the cross rods 23 and 25 upwardly on the legs 22 beneath the side strips 2U of the frame until the cross rods 23 are iully seated in the upper ends of the alining grooves.

The cams or wedges 3| are gradually tapered to such an extent that they will not transmit the pressure incident to the weight of the rods 23 from the levers 26 to the latch bar in a direction to release the same and consequently the latch bar 30 will lock or hold the levers in their projected positions.

The device with the rods 23 and 25 attached thereto and held in the desired relative positions, is raised and carried as a unit to the subgrade of the roadway and is seated on the subgrade or bottom of the concrete structure 36, as shown in Figure 5. The concrete body is now poured over and about the frame of the device to the height substantially as shown by the broken line 3l in Figures 5 and 6, although this of course may be varied according to conditions of construction. The legs 22 of the frame are of sufficient height to support the rods 23 and 25 not only in properly assembled relation but also at the desired height above the surface of the subgrade 36. The modified leg arrangement shown in Figure 7 may be used where it is desired to raise or lower the frame to support the rods adjustably above the subgrade. After the concrete body has been filled or poured in upon and about the frame, and has set to the desired extent Where the rods 23 and 25 may be freed and will be supported in the concrete body with out the frame, the operator may, in any suitable manner, engage thelug 33 and shift it into a releasing position whereupon the latch bar 30 is moved with the lug and carries the wedges or cams 3| across the lingers 28 into a releasing position.

The outer ends of the latch levers 26 are now free to swing downwardly on their pivots 21 and may do this by the weight of the outer ends of the levers 26 or by the frictional Contact thereof with the cement body as the frame is raised out of the concrete, as shown in Figure 6. In either instance, the resistance of the rods 23 and 25 to removal of the concrete body by the upward movement of the frame, is sufficient to swing the released levers 26 downwardly. The cross` rods 23 and 25 are therefore left in the concrete body and in the desired crossed and angular relation determined by the frame of the device.

It will be noted that the upper portion of the frame body extends abovethe top of the concrete structure so as not to segregate the stone to either side of the line corresponding to the frame as would be the case were the frame cornpletely embedded in the concrete. Therefore the legs 22 are made in any desired length and the parts may be otherwise proportioned than as shown for supporting the crossed rods at the desired height in the concrete structure and for supporting the body portion of the frame at the desired height above or in partly submerged position within the concrete structure. rThus, there will be less likelihood of weakened planes to cause the concrete to fracture during usage of the concrete structure.

What is claimed is:-

1. A bar installing device for reinforcing roadways and the like, comprising a longitudinal frame having side pieces secured across the ends of a plurality of transverse cross pieces, each of said cross pieces having a depending leg at each end for supporting the frame upon the subsurface of a roadway and provided with downwardly facing recesses for receiving transverse reinforcing rods therein, a pair of arms pivotally mounted upon each cross piece with hooks upon the outer ends of the arms for extending outwardly of the legs and engaging longitudinal reinforcing bars adapted to be disposed beneath the transverse bars to support the latter on the longitudinal bars, the inner ends of said arms disposed in overlapping relation, and cams supported upon the cross pieces adapted to engage the overlapping ends of said arms for swinging the latter to project the hooks thereof and support the transverse and longitudinal bars in assembled relation.

2. A bar installing device for reinforcing roadways and the like, comprising a longitudinal frame having spaced apart cross pieces therein and having depending supporting legs with downwardly facing seats to receive transverse reinforcing bars, said legs adapted to receive longitudinal reinforcing bars thereagainst and beneath the cross bars to maintain the bars in reinforcing formation, a pair of pivoted arms mounted upon each cross piece of the frame and having their outer end extending downwardly and provided with hooks for engaging beneath the longitudinal reinforcing bars to support the same and the transverse bars, the inner ends of said arms disposed in overlapping relation to effect the simultaneous equal movement of the arms when operated, and a shiftable cam carried by each cross piece above the overlapping arms adapted to engage the overlapping end of the adjacent pivoted armand depress the same for swinging both of said arms outwardly at their lower ends, and for simultaneously releasing said arms to release the reinforcing bars when in position.

3. A bar installing device for reinforcing roadways and the like comprising a frame having side pieces and spaced cross pieces therebetween, said cross pieces having depending legs at opposite ends bent at right angles to the cross pieces for reinforcing the legs and the frame, the angularly bent ends of the cross pieces having downwardly opening seats therein for receiving transverse reinforcing bars and adapted to receive against their outer sides longitudinal reinforcing bars disposed beneath the transverse bars, a pair of hook arms pivoted in spaced apart relation upon each cross piece and having hooks on their lower ends and having their upper ends extending inwardly in overlapping relation, and a sliding cam mounted on each cross-piece over the overlapping ends of the arms for operation in one direction to depress the inner ends of the arms and project the hooks thereof outwardly beneath the longitudinal reinforcing bars and for operation in an opposite direction to release the overlapping ends of the arms to retract the hooks and free the reinforcing bars from the frame.

JOSEPH WILLIAM HELTZEL. 

